On Wed, 30 Oct 2002 07:35:14 -0500, William Schnell <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>We think of the solitary hunter, but evidence shows it was a group
>activity, and easy and safe.

What about the frequent broken bones in neanderthals?
One of them (I think it was the very first found) must have been totally
handicapped since years and counldn't hunt.
It was the proof that neanderthals took care of their family members.
Neanderthals approached big animals. That was dangerous.

I agree that for existing huntergatherers hunting *was* safe and easy.
It just makes no sense to risk one's bones or life for the sake
of a few calories.
Real hunting people hunt what is shure, e.g. shoot an antelope with a
poisoned arrow, or an elk with an arrow.

Hunting mammoth with wooden spears shurely was different.
The robust neanderthals did it. And Cro Magnon? (I think so but I'm not
shure of evidences)

>I'm thinking of a world heritage site known as "Head Smashed In Buffalo
>Jump" in Alberta, where bison
>herds were guided with stones and chased over a cliff.

I heared about such cliff sites. I think that's easy hunting,
just to chase away the animals, maybe with the use of fire.
But humans didn't live only besides such cliffs, did they?

regards

Amadeus S